The Never-Ending Journey

Many journeys in life eventually come to an end. Journeys such as school, career advancement, building a family, midlife reevaluation, and relationships all eventually lead to retirement. While these journeys conclude, there is one that persists throughout every stage—and offers the greatest rewards: the journey of self-discovery.

Why the Journey Inward Doesn’t End When Work Does

Retirement is often painted as the grand finale—the well-earned rest after decades of hard work. But what if, instead, it’s a beginning? I like to think it is the beginning of my Encore Years. As a newly retired individual, I find myself both liberated and a little lost, standing at the edge of unstructured days. Yet, this new chapter is ripe for self-discovery—perhaps even more so than any previous phase of life. With all the ‘have-to’s and must-do’s behind me, I find myself asking, “Who is it I want to be and what is it I want to do with my time?”

Moving On from Old Titles, Embracing New Ones

For years, my career and responsibilities defined me. In many ways, my titles, roles, and labels guided me from survival to significance. Without the routine, the deadlines, the kids’ activities, and social commitments, it’s natural to wonder: “Who am I, now?” I find myself both grateful and unnerved by the freedom from labels. However, as a newly retired person, one thing I’ve discovered about myself is that I need something outside of ‘me’ to hold myself accountable.

So, at the beginning of this year, I gave myself a new title to lean into: the title of Artist. Along with this title comes the responsibility to live up to it! This is where the magic of self-discovery lives. It’s not only discovering a passion, but also the things that show up, keeping me from that passion. I’ve had a lot of start/stops in my artist’s journey.

In Steven Pressfield’s book, “The War of Art,” he writes: “There’s a secret that real writers know that wannabe writers don’t, and the secret is this: It’s not the writing part that’s hard. What’s hard is sitting down to write. What keeps us from sitting down is Resistance.” The same could be said for anything. Resistance is a toxic force, but one we can overcome with the work of self-discovery. Early on in my self-discovery journey, I learned the value of self-inquiry. Asking myself a powerful question, such as, ‘what does this resistance say to me about me?’ and allowing time and space for the answer to be revealed to me. It has never failed me! However, self-discovery, even though it’s all about you and you alone, doesn’t have to be a solo journey.

Building New Connections and Community

I belong to a group of women, we call ourselves the Spectacular Six Tribe (keeping it light), and within that group are another newly retired and a semi-retired woman. We joined forces and embarked on Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way program, which gave us each a process for self-discovery – and self-discover we did! So much so, we are continuing with more of Julia Cameron’s programs. Through this process, I discovered something about myself – that I enjoy making new friends and growing together. So, at 67, I’m a beginner. A beginner in a new life stage, a beginner in art, a beginner in new friendships. I’m excited to see where my encore years will take me and what I’ll discover about myself!

Accepting Change, Embracing Growth

Retirement is a significant life transition, but it’s also a rare opportunity to reinvent yourself. It’s normal to feel uncertain at first. With time, curiosity, and compassion for yourself, retirement can become the richest phase of self-discovery yet—proof that personal growth doesn’t retire when you do.

So, here’s to the new adventures, lessons, and self-knowledge awaiting you. Being newly retired isn’t the end—it’s your next beginning.